Longtime Paul McCartney drummer Abe Laboriel Jr. has joined Pearl Jam behind the kit during a surprise performance at Ohana Festival.
The appearance came last night (September 25) during a festival headline slot that had been billed as “Eddie Vedder and Friends” at Doheny State Beach in Dana Point, California.
Instead, Vedder was joined by his Pearl Jam bandmates, who opened with ‘Corduroy’ before running through ‘Hail, Hail’, ‘Scared Of Fear’, ‘Wishlist’ and ‘Dark Matter’, with Laboriel making his debut behind the kit.
The show marked Pearl Jam’s first live performance since Matt Cameron announced that he was leaving the band after 27 years in July 2025. It is unclear whether Laboriel has permanently taken Cameron’s place, with Vedder introducing him as “filling in tonight”.
The band are due to headline Ohana again tomorrow night (September 27), their only other currently scheduled performance of 2026.
Check out footage here:
Laboriel has played with McCartney since 2001, first playing on his album ‘Driving Rain’ before making his live debut with him at the Concert For New York City that year. He has remained a member of McCartney’s live band ever since.
Earlier this year, McCartney praised Laboriel while speaking to NME about performing alongside Ringo Starr.
Reflecting on the two drummers playing ‘Helter Skelter’ together, McCartney said: “There’s my drummer, Abe, who always plays it great, but then this one night, Ringo gets in and plays with Abe, and it’s just very special because he was the original drummer on it, and also because it’s Ringo.”
Laboriel already has history with Vedder, too. He played drums and percussion on ‘Picture’, Vedder’s 2022 collaboration with Elton John from the solo album ‘Earthling’.
He also stepped into Vedder’s live band The Earthlings at Ohana in 2023, filling in for Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith.
Laboriel has also worked with artists including Sting, Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood.
Pearl Jam played:
‘Corduroy’
‘Hail, Hail’
‘Scared Of Fear’
‘Wishlist’
‘Dark Matter’
‘I Got Id’ (with ‘Cinnamon Girl’ tag)
‘Do The Evolution’
‘Won’t Tell’
‘Pretty Green’ (The Jam tease)
‘Green Disease’
‘Lukin’
‘Porch’
Encore:
‘Better Man’ (with ‘Save It For Later’ tag)
‘Even Flow’
‘Sonic Reducer’ (Dead Boys cover)
‘Baba O’Riley’ (The Who cover)
Cameron joined Pearl Jam in 1998 and became the longest-serving drummer in the band’s history. When announcing his departure last summer, he called his time with the group “an incredible journey” and thanked the band for “the opportunity of a lifetime, filled with friendships, artistry, challenges and laughter”.
He later explained his decision to leave, saying the group’s three-hour concerts and constant touring had become difficult. “I’m at a point now where I want to do a face-melting 70-minute set,” he said, confirming that the split was amicable and that he remains an active musician.
Cameron has since turned his attention towards completing Soundgarden’s final album, featuring previously unheard vocals from the late Chris Cornell.
Pearl Jam’s most recent studio album, ‘Dark Matter’, arrived in 2024. NME awarded it four stars, praising the band for delivering “some of their most impressive musicianship yet” and showing “a determination to take risks after years of playing it safe”.
The post Longtime Paul McCartney drummer Abe Laboriel Jr. joins Pearl Jam at Ohana Festival appeared first on NME.
